Metro Jacksonville

Per the Palm Beach Post:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/land-purchase-points-to-west-palm-beach-location-f/nTybc/ (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/land-purchase-points-to-west-palm-beach-location-f/nTybc/)

AAF has made another major purchase of land (Sasser Glass Works) in West Palm Beach. This raises their property investment in WPB to nearly $4 million.

(http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/400/img/photos/2013/01/17/01/65/011613_biz_504_datura_01.JPG)

WEST PALM BEACH â€" All Aboard Florida has acquired more downtown property for a train station with plans for an express rail line from Miami to Orlando just two years away.
More than $4 million has been invested in the Datura and Evernia blocks abutting the Florida East Coast Railway tracks beside Quadrille Boulevard since last fall. All Aboard Florida has identified the location as one of its preferred option for a station in West Palm Beach. The express rail project is being developed by All Aboard Florida, a spinoff company from Florida East Coast Industries that is affiliated with Florida East Coast Railway.
Most recently, a newly created company called WPBC Investments LLC bought the Sasser’s Glass Works at 504 Datura St., for $1.775 million. Company President Sheri Johnson said the glass works has been at that location since 1948, but will move to another location convenient to its customers.
“It’s bittersweet,” said Johnson, whose grandfather started the business on Clematis Street.
Johnson said she was surprised by the offer, and the Flagler Development Realty people she dealt with did not share their plans. With the project in the news, however, she became aware that her business would probably be affected because a railway station and platform on her block would impede traffic to her business. But the project itself should be good for downtown West Palm Beach, she said.
“I think it’s a good opportunity,” she said. “I like progress.”
All Aboard Florida has stayed mum on the issue, and the sellers said they were told little about the buyers’ plans.
The links to All Aboard Florida are complicated, because none of the properties has been purchased under one of FECI’s existing entities. But that is not unusual in development deals.
The address for the entity that bought the Evernia Street lots in September, WPB Investments LLC, uses the same address as All Aboard Florida and its parent company, Florida East Coast Industries. However, the latest purchase was made by WPBC Investment Co. LLC, a corporation that was formed earlier in December and that uses a c/o address for a Miami legal firm. In a supporting document for the sale, however, the Sasser & Johnson Holdings partners indicate they are selling the land to Flagler Development Realty, which is part of the FECI empire.
“We aren’t commenting on our land acquisition strategy,” said Husein Cumber, FECI executive vice president of corporate development, via email Tuesday.
The company is in negotiations to lease rights of way on the State Road 528 corridor â€" Beachline Expressway, formerly Bee Line Expressway â€" between Orlando and Cocoa from the Florida Department of Transportation and the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority. It must build about 40 miles of track to link the coast and the Central Florida hub, but the company already has the right to operate passenger service on the Florida East Coast tracks. The railway project was cleared last month by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to proceed without federal oversight on rates and service because passengers travel in-state only, but AAF did file an environmental assessment with the Federal Railroad Administration so that it can apply for funding under the agency’s rehabilitation financing program.
The project has helped move property long vacant.
Chap Brown, who with business partner Worley Sewell III sold last year several Evernia Street lots last year, said Sewell Hardware had moved from the location six years ago. The housing bust and recession left the business holding that property long after the hardware store moved to Mercer Avenue, and he has more property in the area that he hopes the coming development will help sell. It would be perfect for hotels, restaurants and other businesses needed to serve a major railway station, Brown said.
“I think that’s what downtown needs is more economic activity,” Brown said, “and to connect those districts â€" Clematis to City Place.”
Tony Solo, who has the business Ventureworx just down from Sasser’s Glass Works, and another development at 510 Evernia St., across from the old Sewell Hardware buildings recently sold, said if a station is built there it will be geographically centered for downtown. But he wonders whether West Palm workers are ready to embrace mass transit.
“In the short-term it will generate more foot traffic,” Solo said. “I don’t know if it’s actually creating any jobs. Sure it’s convenient to have a stop-off a station there, but does that mean more people are residing or commuting to West Palm because there is a rail stop?”

I must admit, it's refreshing and entertaining to see a rail project move this fast.

Quote from: thelakelander on January 18, 2013, 10:17:01 PM
I must admit, it's refreshing and entertaining to see a rail project move this fast.

I have been following the general railroad press and I am still surprised at the reaction to AAF overall.

To say skepticism is rather mild. Even some of the long time rail gurus are scratching their heads, they have read the business model but can't see it returning the investment ever. They are still trying to "see" what Fortress Investments "sees".

There were a few skeptics when Henry Flagler decided to extend his railroad further south past New Smyrna, and they grew into a loud chorus on the Key West Extension. But the old man knew his stuff.

If the angle is still to make revenue on the surrounding TOD, its definitely a long term play, something we haven't seen much of in the US in the last couple of decades.

I really hope a station/stop is made in Cocoa/Pt Canaveral.

Quote from: Nightman_Cometh on January 19, 2013, 08:32:50 AM
I really hope a station/stop is made in Cocoa/Pt Canaveral.

Unfortunately, there will not be a AAF stop in Cocoa. There will be a bus/train transfer station until the Beachline Extension is complete out to the Orlando Airport.  AAF will not allow any local passengers to disembark or board at the Cocoa Transfer station. Once the Beachline extension is complete, the transfer station will disappear completely.

If Amtrak decides to offer JAX/MIA service in the future, I could see a Cocoa/Canaveral stop. But that could be 10 years from now.

Quote from: spuwho on January 18, 2013, 10:57:27 PM
To say skepticism is rather mild. Even some of the long time rail gurus are scratching their heads, they have read the business model but can't see it returning the investment ever. They are still trying to "see" what Fortress Investments "sees".

There were a few skeptics when Henry Flagler decided to extend his railroad further south past New Smyrna, and they grew into a loud chorus on the Key West Extension. But the old man knew his stuff.

Not really Spuwho, the Florida East Coast was a very weak property from Flagler's death in 1913 until Ball brought it out of receivership in 1961. They spent more then 30 years in bankruptcy, a huge chunk of which was that 'Over-sea Extension.'  The Key West route never came close to covering even interest on it's cost. Even early in the directorship of Ball-St Joe-DuPont, the FEC RY brought in 25% of its revenue from 75% of it's operations - passengers, 75% of its income came from the 25% represented by their freight services. Not unlike the 'New Haven Railroad,' in the northeast, the FEC RY was a railroad built for passengers... and at that time, and maybe today, that was a huge mistake.

Quote from: Nightman_Cometh on January 19, 2013, 08:32:50 AM
I really hope a station/stop is made in Cocoa/Pt Canaveral.

I expect to see several more stations come on line once it's up and running. They will likely add Cocoa when they crank up operations north to Jacksonville.  If they don't, then I don't see much likelyhood in Daytona Beach or St. Augustine having a chance for stations.

There will be eventual pressure for:

6-7 more stops at larger online communities, they'd use a mix of stops depending on the train. Most trains would run as they have proposed in the press releases, but a select few could run in a skip sequence where train 'A' runs from Orlando-Miami making all of the advertised stops. A select few trains would add various combinations of intermediate stops, this opens access to the entire Florida East Coast and not just Orlando, Miami, West Palm and Ft. Lauderdale.

I also think we'll see eventual service into the heart of the Orlando Metro area or urban core.

Our greatest opportunity lays in the need for a new 'Jacksonville Terminal' aka the JRTC, and AAF's plans to extend to Jacksonville. All of those ridiculous extra EMPTY blocks of space where LaVilla once stood would be a strong incentive for a company wanting to develop TOD properties.

Quote from: Ocklawaha on January 19, 2013, 05:05:39 PM

Quote from: spuwho on January 18, 2013, 10:57:27 PM
To say skepticism is rather mild. Even some of the long time rail gurus are scratching their heads, they have read the business model but can't see it returning the investment ever. They are still trying to "see" what Fortress Investments "sees".

There were a few skeptics when Henry Flagler decided to extend his railroad further south past New Smyrna, and they grew into a loud chorus on the Key West Extension. But the old man knew his stuff.

Not really Spuwho, the Florida East Coast was a very weak property from Flagler's death in 1913 until Ball brought it out of receivership in 1961. They spent more then 30 years in bankruptcy, a huge chunk of which was that 'Over-sea Extension.'  The Key West route never came close to covering even interest on it's cost. Even early in the directorship of Ball-St Joe-DuPont, the FEC RY brought in 25% of its revenue from 75% of it's operations - passengers, 75% of its income came from the 25% represented by their freight services. Not unlike the 'New Haven Railroad,' in the northeast, the FEC RY was a railroad built for passengers... and at that time, and maybe today, that was a huge mistake.

Flagler's extension of the FEC to Miami was a business decision. FEC's extension to Key West was based on a business premise, (First port to reach from Panama)  but it was not even close to that. It was a personal directive.

The more Flagler's peers gave him a hard time about Key West, the more he was determined to do it.

I agree, post Flagler FEC was a shambles. It didn't have the backing of Flagler's wealth anymore.

Pretty much, though at the time Havana and the excellent railroads of Cuba was the primary 'connection' with Key West. When the extension was cut back at Florida City, those railroad car ferries had to come and go from Miami. When Cuba fell in the communist revolution those ships ended up in downtown Jacksonville.

AAF and West Palm leaders publicly admit what everyone already knew...the new AAF station will be situated on the recently acquired Sewell property at Daturna and Evernia Streets in WPB.

Per South Florida Business Journal:

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2013/02/26/west-palm-beach-mayor-voices-support.html (http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2013/02/26/west-palm-beach-mayor-voices-support.html)

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio says she is confident the benefits of locating the All Aboard Florida station at the site of the old Sewell Hardware store will outweigh the downsides of cutting off Evernia and Datura streets.
She said the city has been talking to officials of All Aboard Florida, the FECI subsidiary that has proposed running a passenger rail line from Miami to Orlando, for some time. One important goal would be to create an access road that would run parallel to Quadrille Boulevard west of the existing FECR track. So, a driver on Evernia would not dead-end at the station, but be able to join Clematis or Fern streets, she said.
The big picture for the city is about being able to piggyback on the All Aboard investment to expand other private commercial investment in the area including the creation of an office district on Quadrille.
While she prefers not to block the flow of the east-west streets, “the benefits will outweigh the issues,” she said.
“We are very excited about high-speed rail in our downtown,” she said. “We think it will bring a lot to us.”
Husein Cumber, executive VP at FECI, confirmed the Evernia site would be where it would locate the West Palm Beach station. The Palm Beach Post was the first to report Evernia would be the station location.
The Business Journal reported that the Miami station would be located on nine acres FECI owns in downtown Miami.
Although the downtown Fort Lauderdale site has not been announced, Business Journal Editor Kevin Gale wrote about how the downtown might benefit from the project utilizing an existing master plan Zyscovich Architects created for the area in 2004.
The $1.5 billion project has achieved other recent milestones:
In September, All Aboard Florida selected AMEC Environment & Infrastructure as the environmental engineering firm for the 230-mile passenger railway infrastructure it plans between Miami and Orlando.
Recently, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a “finding of no significant impact” (FONSI) for the All Aboard Florida passenger rail project from Miami to West Palm Beach.
The finding is the latest step forward for All Aboard Florida, which is negotiating an agreement with state transportation officials and the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) to build new tracks and run the train along part of State Road 528.
Cumber said he hoped to have the agreement finalized by the end of March.